


Callis' worst nightmare

by Nilo (adanariawrites)



Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Blood, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-26
Updated: 2015-10-26
Packaged: 2018-04-28 08:10:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5084584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adanariawrites/pseuds/Nilo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Callis Cousland is back to Highever, but something doesn't seem right.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Callis' worst nightmare

**Author's Note:**

> So me and my friend have this AU where our OC’s Callis Cousland and Neria Surana were both recruited by Duncan and became wardens. And now I started writing a few things about their journey. Feel free to criticize. :)

Callis walked along the corridors of Highever and she couldn’t shake off the feeling that she wasn’t supposed to be there. Every door she opened led to dark and empty rooms, she hadn’t met any living soul since- since when actually? How long had she been wandering around already? What was the purpose of her exploration again?  
  
She stopped to orientate herself, but not matter where she looked the hallway appeared to be the same. Was she moving in circles? Frustrated she rubbed her eyes and tried again, just to see a soft light at the end of the corridor. Callis was certain that it hadn’t been there a few seconds ago, but still she rushed towards it, hoping to finally find someone else.  
  
The light came from a door left ajar. It was supposed to lead to the hall of the main gate, if she recalled it correctly. Her fingers brushed to wood softly, but as she pressed her palm against the door she couldn’t bring herself to open it. Her entire body began to shake and tears streamed down her face; only death waits behind this door, Callis could feel it.  
  
As she took her hand from it, she wrapped her arms around her shaking body and tried to calm her pounding heart. This might be the only way out. If she were to search for another exit, she might get completely lost.  
Steeling herself, she took a deep breath and pushed the door open.  
  
What she saw made her stumble backwards. She hurried to muffle the cry that escaped her throat with her hand, even if there was no one to hear it, and stared into the hall, her eyes wide open in terror.  
  
The ground was covered with countless bodies, all in full armor and some of them still had their swords or shield in their hand. The guards of Highever, all dead. Their blood was spilled everywhere; it had tinted the floor and was splattered on the wall. Callis knew enough about battles to see that this hadn’t been a fight, they had been slaughtered.  
Since she had no other choice, she walked carefully through the bodies to reach the gate, trying not to look at the faces of the men she once knew.  
  
A noise behind her made her cringe and she froze in the middle of the hall. Unsteady footsteps approached her from behind; she could hear the other person’s heavy breathing.  
  
‘Callis.’  
  
She turned around to the very familiar voice and what she saw made her weak in her knees.  
Rory stood a few steps in front of her, bent over and one hand pressed onto a deep wound on his side. A small trickle of blood ran from his mouth to his chin, but his eyes were still clear and he stared at her. She couldn’t say a word, sorrow and pain choked her. Moving closer to her, Rory tripped. Callis automatically reached out for him, sinking onto her knees and held him as a coughing fit shook his body. He spat blood on the ground once it was over and grabbed her by her armor.  
  
‘You left us to die.’ He hissed under his breath.  
  
‘No, no. I’ll help you. Rory, please-‘  
  
His lips formed a forced smile that revealed his bloody teeth.  
  
‘You left. And now we’re all dead. Just because of you.’  
  
Ser Gilmore closed his eyes, lying heavily in her arms and his chest moved lightly with his shallow breaths.  
  
Hot tears dripped from Callis eyes, her mouth opened and closed, but she wasn’t able to find the right words. Now she remembered what had happened. Highever had fallen; her parents, her sister-in-law and her nephew, everyone, except for her. He was right. It was her fault.  
  
‘I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.’ She whispered into his hair and rocked him back and forth.  
  
Rory reared up for a last time, gasping for air and then his body went still.  
Her desperate scream echoed from the walls as she clutched his dead body tightly, her face buried in his hair.  
  
In her grief she hadn’t heard the footsteps coming closer, nor had she seen the person squatting next to her.  
As a hand grasped her shoulder Callis flinched and found herself looking into warm green eyes.  
  
‘Neria?’  
  
The elf smiled sadly at her and nodded.  
  
‘We need to go.’

 

 


End file.
